High-Quality Analysis

from NFL.com’s Vic Carrucci. Here’s his evaluation of the Packer draft.

Figuring out the Packers’ draft strategy isn’t easy. After bailing out of the first round, they used a second-round choice in an area where they didn’t seem to need any help: wide receiver. Still, Kansas State’s Jordy Nelson, a speedster, is an intriguing prospect. And doesn’t Aaron Rodgers have enough pressure on him as Brett Favre‘s replacement and with the potential that Favre might come back from retirement? Why invest another second-rounder in Louisville QB Brian Brohm, even if he was widely projected as a first-round pick? The Packers did address needs with second-round cornerback Patrick Lee, from Auburn, and third-round tight end Jermichael Finley, from Texas.

Hmmm. Where to start? How about the beginning. He writes: “Figuring out the Packers’ draft strategy isn’t easy. After bailing out of the first round, they used a second-round choice in an area where they didn’t seem to need any help: wide receiver.” Here’s a suggestion. Check Ted Thompson’s bio on the Packer website. You’ll see that shortly before the 2006 draft he said: “”You have to take the best player available.” Before the 2007 draft he said: “A draft is an investment in a player that’s going to be here for a number of years. And when you don’t take the best player, it’ll just come back and bite you every time.” At his press conference before this year’s draft, Thompson said: “I just think the draft is a long-term investment, especially the early-round picks, and I think if you take a lesser player … in your own mind, if you know Player A is a better player and you wind up taking Player B because he happens to play a different position, I think that’s a mistake.” In introducing that comment in a pre-draft article, Packer beat writer Jason Wilde wrote that Thompson is well-known for taking the proverbial ‘best player available.'” Yeah, figuring out the Packers’ draft strategy is really hard.

More amusing, though, was this part:

“And doesn’t Aaron Rodgers have enough pressure on him as Brett Favre‘s replacement and with the potential that Favre might come back from retirement? Why invest another second-rounder in Louisville QB Brian Brohm, even if he was widely projected as a first-round pick?

Did someone post this under Vic Carrucci’s name as part of a prank, to make him sound like a moron? Ummm, Vic. You invest a second-round pick in Brian Brohm because you think he is…wait for it…the best player available. And if he’s projected as a first-round pick and you can get him at the bottom of the second isn’t that even more reason to take him?

And finally, if you were a GM, and in a position to choose players for your team, would you really avoid picking someone good at a position of great value because you didn’t want to hurt the feelings of your presumptive starter or make him nervous about some competition? Hmmm, that would be a great team.

4 Responses to “High-Quality Analysis”

I don’t think you’re being very fair here to Mr. Carrucci. You criticize his analysis because it lacks certain inside information that only a blogger blogging from his mom’s basement could possibly have. Only a blogger blogging from his mom’s basement has the time to read and research subjects upon which they wish to comment. Mr. Carrucci, as an esteemed member of the mainstream sports media, does not have such luxury of time. He is writing on a deadline and has to jump to certain conclusions based on the information available to him at the time, such as what he just heard on ESPN. This is better known as journalism (look it up on wikipedia), and it is this that separates the journalists from the bloggers blogging from their mom’s basement.

The whole bit about unnecessaarily pressuring Rodgers by picking Brohm is the part that riles me every time I hear it. Makes me think of the Alec Baldwin monolgue to open Glengarry Glen Ross “You think this is abuse? You can’t take this, how can you take the abuse you get on a sit?” Playing QB is all about handling pressure, you can’t handle Brian Brohm standing behind you, how can you handle 3 and 6 in Chicago?